Flow composition model searching

Abstract

An arrangement and method for flow composition model searching by holding in a repository ( 120 ) records ( 130 ) of flow composition models containing information representative of predetermined flow composition model characteristics thereof, specifying ( 200 ) information representative of desired ones of the predetermined flow composition model characteristics, and retrieving from the repository flow control model records matching the specified information. The FCM characteristics may include Message Flow, Work Flow and Connector characteristics. The specified information may include wild card characters. This provides the advantage that a new specification of flow characteristics, derived from the general model FCM, is used. Hence using it enables the application of search, reuse, compare, etc., on any present and future FCM realization.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An arrangement for flow composition model searching, comprising: 
 repository means for holding records of flow composition models containing information representative of predetermined flow composition model characteristics thereof;    searching means for specifying information representative of desired at least one of the predetermined flow composition model characteristics; and    retrieval means for retrieving from the repository means flow control model records matching the information representative of desired at least one of the predetermined flow composition model characteristics specified at the searching means.    
     
     
         2 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined flow composition model characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 Message Flow characteristics,  
 Work Flow characteristics, and  
 Connector characteristics.  
 
     
     
         3 . The arrangement of  claim 2  wherein the Message Flow characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 logical information structure characteristics,  
 flow composition component characteristics,  
 flow diagram characteristics, and  
 syntactic property characteristics.  
 
     
     
         4 . The arrangement of  claim 3  wherein the logical information structure characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 signature setting characteristics, and  
 data structure field characteristics.  
 
     
     
         5 . The arrangement of  claim 3  wherein the flow composition component characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 type containment characteristics, and  
 resource reference characteristics.  
 
     
     
         6 . The arrangement of  claim 3  wherein the flow diagram characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 layout characteristics,  
 control decision characteristics, and  
 data mapping characteristics.  
 
     
     
         7 . The arrangement of  claim 6  wherein the layout characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 number of components characteristics,  
 number of compound components characteristics,  
 depth of hierarchy characteristics, and  
 pattern existence characteristics.  
 
     
     
         8 . The arrangement of  claim 3  wherein the syntactic property characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 textual description characteristics,  
 name characteristics, and  
 comment characteristics.  
 
     
     
         9 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the predetermined flow composition model characteristics comprise flow topology characteristics.  
     
     
         10 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the information representative of desired at least one of the predetermined flow composition model characteristics comprises ambiguous information, allowing non-precise matches to be made by the retrieval means.  
     
     
         11 . The arrangement of  claim 10  wherein the ambiguous information comprises a wild card character.  
     
     
         12 . The arrangement of  claim 11  wherein the wild card character represents one of: 
 direct connection,  
 direct/indirect connection,  
 assertion that no direct connection exists, and  
 assertion that no connection exists, whether direct or indirect.  
 
     
     
         13 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the repository means comprises a data base of which columns are arranged to hold information representative of respective predetermined flow composition characteristics.  
     
     
         14 . The arrangement of  claim 1  further comprising graphical user interface means for displaying to a user an interactive display for specifying the information representative of desired at least one of the predetermined flow composition model characteristics, and for displaying to the user retrieved matching flow control model records.  
     
     
         15 . The arrangement of  claim 14  wherein the graphical user interface means comprises browser means for displaying markup language code.  
     
     
         16 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the flow composition model represents a business process.  
     
     
         17 . The arrangement of  claim 1  wherein the flow composition model represents a music process.  
     
     
         18 . A method for flow composition model searching, comprising: 
 providing repository means holding records of flow composition models containing information representative of predetermined flow composition model characteristics thereof;    providing searching means specifying information representative of desired at least one of the predetermined flow composition model characteristics; and    providing retrieval means retrieving from the repository means flow control model records matching the information representative of desired at least one of the predetermined flow composition model characteristics specified at the searching means.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the predetermined flow composition model characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 Message Flow characteristics,  
 Work Flow characteristics, and  
 Connector characteristics.  
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the Message Flow characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 logical information structure characteristics,  
 flow composition component characteristics,  
 flow diagram characteristics, and  
 syntactic property characteristics.  
 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the logical information structure characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 signature setting characteristics, and  
 data structure field characteristics.  
 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the flow composition component characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 type containment characteristics, and  
 resource reference characteristics.  
 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the flow diagram characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 layout characteristics,  
 control decision characteristics, and  
 data mapping characteristics.  
 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein the layout characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 number of components characteristics,  
 number of compound components characteristics,  
 depth of hierarchy characteristics, and  
 pattern existence characteristics.  
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20  wherein the syntactic property characteristics comprise at least one of: 
 textual description characteristics,  
 name characteristics, and  
 comment characteristics.  
 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the predetermined flow composition model characteristics comprise flow topology characteristics.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the information representative of desired at least one of the predetermined flow composition model characteristics comprises ambiguous information, allowing non-precise matches to be made by the retrieval means.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the ambiguous information comprise a wild card character.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the wild card character represents one of: 
 direct connection,  
 direct/indirect connection,  
 assertion that no direct connection exists, and  
 assertion that no connection exists, whether direct or indirect.  
 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the repository means comprises a data base of which columns hold information representative of respective predetermined flow composition characteristics.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising providing graphical user interface means displaying to a user an interactive display for specifying the information representative of desired at least one of the predetermined flow composition model characteristics, and displaying to the user retrieved matching flow control model records.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the graphical user interface means comprises a browser displaying markup language code.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the flow composition model represents a business process.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the flow composition model represents a music process.  
     
     
         35 . A computer program element comprising computer program means for performing the method of  claim 18.